# The Pendulum Swings: Why Hardcover.app Traded Next.js for Ruby on Rails (and Inertia.js)

## The Pendulum Swings: Why Hardcover.app Traded Next.js for Ruby on Rails (and Inertia.js)

The world of web development is a constant cycle of innovation and reevaluation. Frameworks rise, fall, and sometimes, even rise again. Hardcover.app, a platform focused on books and reading, recently shared their experience of that very cycle, detailing their journey from adopting Next.js to ultimately returning to their roots with Ruby on Rails. The story, penned by Mike1o1, isn’t just about code; it’s a fascinating look at how project needs, team expertise, and evolving technologies can drastically alter a tech stack.

For many startups, Next.js, with its server-side rendering capabilities, SEO benefits, and React-based ecosystem, represents a compelling choice. Hardcover.app initially embraced Next.js for these very reasons, aiming to build a performant and discoverable platform for book lovers. However, as their project matured, the team encountered challenges that ultimately led them to reconsider their initial decision.

The specifics of these challenges, detailed in the blog post, likely revolved around complexities inherent in managing a large-scale Next.js application. This could include increased build times, intricate state management, or difficulty integrating with existing back-end systems. The article hinted at a desire for simplicity and maintainability, suggesting that the overhead of Next.js may have become a hindrance to their development velocity.

This is where Ruby on Rails, the venerable web framework known for its convention-over-configuration philosophy, re-entered the picture. Rails, often lauded for its rapid development capabilities and strong community support, offered a potential solution to the complexities they faced with Next.js.

Interestingly, the blog post also mentions the use of Inertia.js. Inertia.js acts as a bridge, allowing developers to build modern, single-page applications using server-side routing and traditional server-side languages like Ruby. This means the team could leverage the benefits of Rails’ simplicity and efficiency while maintaining the smooth, responsive user experience typically associated with single-page applications built with frameworks like React.

The decision to move back to Rails, coupled with Inertia.js, likely stemmed from a desire to leverage the team’s existing expertise in the framework, reduce development complexity, and ultimately, deliver a more maintainable and scalable platform.

Hardcover.app’s journey serves as a valuable reminder that technology choices are rarely static. What works for one project at one stage might not be the best fit later on. The story emphasizes the importance of continuously evaluating your tech stack, considering the specific needs of your project, and prioritizing the long-term maintainability and scalability of your application. While Next.js remains a powerful and popular framework, Hardcover.app’s experience demonstrates that sometimes, the best solution lies in returning to familiar ground, armed with new tools and a refined understanding of your project’s requirements. It’s a testament to the idea that the “best” technology is the one that allows you to build and maintain your product most effectively.